February 9, 2017

Matilde Terraza, a Mayan Ixil leader and one of the protagonists in 500 YEARS

500 YEARS tells the story through Mayan eyes of a moment that may change Guatemala forever. For centuries a tiny white elite has ruled over the majority indigenous Mayan population, maintaining their power through racism and violence. When this elite was threatened by democracy in 1954, the CIA staged a coup, setting in motion decades of repression, impunity, and genocide. But the Mayan people have preserved their culture in the cauldron of resistance. In 2012 indigenous survivors forced a national trial for genocide, won a historic victory, and then forged an unprecedented alliance with non-indigenous Guatemalans to overthrow a corrupt President.

Following the film, there will be a discussion with the filmmakers, and the audience will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to provide feedback in the editorial process.